Lockdown extension: KCR, YS Jagan take different stand during PM Modi video conference

It is known the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a video conference with all the state chief ministers on Saturday to learn about their opinion on the extension of lockdown. While the majority of chief ministers agreed to extend the lockdown including the Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan asked the PM Modi to lift the ongoing 21-day lockdown.

YS Jagan's stand to lift up the lockdown is completely different from the Telangana CM's opinion. YS Jagan asked the prime minister to continue the lockdown in containment clusters declared by the Andhra Pradesh government. The AP CM said that the government has identified 81 mandals as coronavirus affected areas and suggested the lockdown in these areas. "The stoppage of road and railway transport has led to economic slowdown. Though we can't come out of the recession completely, the government has to work considering the needs of people," YS Jagan said.

Meanwhile, the Telangana chief minister opined to lockdown the state for at least two more weeks to contain the coronavirus. However, he asked the Prime Minister to permit food processing and its related industries to operate the services. "Though there will be a great impact on the economy, the country will recover from it later but rise in the coronavirus cases will be hazardous," KCR said.